Off the Wall Poetry Performing

A space for poetry on Monday evenings at 8pm at A Touch of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town.
Hear poetry read, recited and performed by the famous and the infamous, the known and the unknown, the electric and the eclectic. Come laugh, come cry, come be yourself…

Thursday 23 January 2014

First, apologies. I'm, to a degree, responsible for keeping the show on the road. But I failed to do that. Hopefully we are back on track to bring you the venue that celebrates all styles, all poetry, and all people.

Second, we're back to A Touch of Madness which has been our home for years. You know where to find the gig - same place, same time.

I will host and bring back many old friends in word and body. But new voices are very welcome, as ever. I hope to find a co-host who shares our delight in the spoken (and written) word to celebrate the ancient art of poetry. I've happily managed to secure my dearest of friends and co-host, Karin Schimke who will read with Andries Samuel. I'm also hoping to get Primrose Mrwebi to perform. Primrose and I go back to Off-the-Wall at Off Moroka, cafe africaine in town.

When I think of something more-or-less sensible to say, I'll post it here.

Thursday 28 November 2013

Off the Wall Poetry Performing

Observatory

Guest poet + open-mic session

Most of our poets mostly perform their own work. This leaves much poetry neglected, but some of our open-mic regulars often present the work of other poets, and we periodically ask one of them to make up “a garland of other men’s flowers”. This session is part of that series.

Friday 15 November 2013

I know we contacted
you earlier this fall about the Sillerman Book Prize for African Poets, but
entries are due by
December 1st, and so far we've received fewer submissions than
last year and are on the lookout for more. As such, we would appreciate if
you could forward this e-mail to any interested poets in your organization,
because there's still time left to enter!

The Sillerman
contest is for a book-length manuscript of poetry (at least 50 pages), and
there's no fee to submit! The winner will receive USD $1,000 and
publication through both the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in
Senegal. The contest is open to African writers who have not previously
published a book-length collection. (An “African writer” is taken to mean
someone who was born in Africa, who is a national or resident of an African
country, or whose parents are African.)

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Off the Wall Poetry Performing

Observatory

Thursday 14th November 2013
at 7:45 for 8 p.m.

Guest poet + open-mic session

Guest poet

Ralph Goodman

Ralph taught English at universities for a number of years. He now runs workshops which offer skills in writing, as well as the chance to map one’s life in a meaningful way. He is at present teaching creative writing (short story and poetry), as well as feminist science-fiction and satire, to adults. He does editing and proof-reading work.

He is passionate about the healing that stories can accomplish in this country.

Ralph will present a broad selection of his own poems.

Open-mic session

Guest-poet presentations last 20–40 minutes. We then take a short break followed by an open-mic session, so bring some of your own or someone else’s poetry to read, or just come and listen.

To get into the open-mic, just ask the host during the break to add your name to the list.